An Infinite Love
by jaywolfe
Summary: Harry/Cedric-Revelations are made at the remembering of Cedric Diggory


A/N: A Cedric/Harry slashy fic. My first of them so be nice. This is set after the third task, when Dumbledore informed everyone of the true extent of Cedric's death. Features Harry's confession to everyone in attendance including the Diggorys' and the Weasleys', at least in my world. Hope ya'll like it.

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A Love No More

Hermione was bothering him again. At least this time, it isn't about homework. He turned his back on her and looks out the window. The weather was foul. He thought it was divine intervention for this because it is exactly as he was feeling inside. Rain was pouring down in torrential sheets and he couldn't help but feeling as if the gods above had turned his secret tears into a display for everyone to feel. His eyes, as it sweeps upon the damned scenery outside, were vacant. No feelings were being seen, nothing was being sought; it was just there, looking but not seeing.

It troubled Hermione Granger greatly, this solemn attitude from the boy she fondly dubbed as her brother. Nothing she or Mrs. Weasley could do to get him to live was working. Because, let's face it, Harry Potter was literally a dead man walking. He was like this ever since he came out of the maze with Cedric Diggory in his arms. She had thought he felt guilty and saddened at another dead person on his hands. But as days went by, she could tell it was more than that, however. He had become even worse when Professor Dumbledore announced a memorial ceremony in the Great Hall for Hogwarts lost son. Speaking of which, they were supposed to be downstairs with the awaiting Gryffindors.

She spoke softly; as if afraid her voice alone would break the already broken boy in front of her, "Harry? Everyone's waiting…. We should probably leave." She held her breath and waited. It seemed like forever when Harry finally turned to her. She swallowed her gasp of shock at his sullen, blood-shot red and hollow eyes. He was pale, surpassing even Malfoy's paleness. Not wanting to have him withdraw again, she reached out for his hand and gave him an encouraging squeeze. She felt lightheaded when he squeezed back, albeit weakly.

She slid an arm around his waist and guided him out the dormitory and downstairs. If anyone had noticed the appearance of Harry Potter, they didn't ask. Maybe it was because they were still in shock; or maybe it was due to the fact that Mrs. Weasley and Hermione gave them all a warning look. Ron Weasley came forward and laid a comforting hand on Harry's arm before the three of them led the way.

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The Great Hall was silent except a few sniffling of tears from the Hufflepuff table. Professor Dumbledore was just sitting there in his chair, waiting for something, it seems. Harry sat in the front, flanked by his best friends. He just looked straight ahead, not even paying attention to Hermione crying softly to his right and certainly not to Dumbledore's speech.

"Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities that distinguish Hufflepuff house," Dumbledore continued. "He was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not. I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about." **1**

Before he could continue, Harry stood up, not wanting to hear any more. He was about to walk down the aisle when Dumbledore called his name. He slowly turned around to see the Headmaster's confused expression. His blue eyes weren't twinkling anymore; and if Harry wasn't mistaken, sheen of tears was there as well. Harry's gaze swept the Great Hall, taking in everything and everyone. The Diggorys' crying into each other's arms; the Weasleys' solemn faces; Professor Snape, for once, wasn't glaring, just seeing; Professor Sprout being comforted by Professor McGonagall; and Cho Chang, crying softly into her hands, surrounded by her own friends. He glanced at Hermione and Ron, looking inquiringly at him. He knew he had to do something but didn't feel like saying anything. But he owed it to his friends, not to mention Cedric.

Instead of walking out of the Great Hall as he intended, he walked up to Dumbledore at the podium. Dumbledore searched his face as if looking for an answer. Harry tried several times to speak but ended up croaking from lack of talking for the past two days. Finally, he managed to say what he wanted to say.

"Could you, could you magnify my voice, Professor?" Harry asked, his voice broken. He continued. "I-I don't think I can speak any louder than I am talking now and, and I need to say some-something." Professor Dumbledore clasped his shoulders and said in a comforting voice, "Of course, my boy." With that, he performed the spell and retreated to his chair behind the podium.

Harry stood there looking out at everyone. Then he looked past them and Filch standing with his cat at the back of the Hall, and focused on the oak doors. Everything was silent when at last, he spoke.

"We promised each other," he said. His voice was scratchy but was heard due to the spell. There were confusions heard throughout the Hall. "The last night before, before the final task, we promised that we would tell everyone, his parents, our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. We thought once we are done with the task, we could finally be free to be ourselves." Harry paused. There were gasps all around as some realized what and who he was talking about. Harry gave a slight chuckle, lacking humor. "Once again, Voldemort strikes. Once again, he took a loved one from me. At the rate Voldemort is going, I don't think I will last long." Hermione grabbed Ron's hand tightly. Her heart aches at the pain Harry was going through. Ron, for once, was the one comforting Hermione.

Harry moved from behind the podium and sat Indian style on the stage. His head was bowed in silence before he looked up once again. "We became a couple"-at this, he gave a slight laugh- "after the first task. I escaped the celebration in the common room and went to the owlery. I was going through the event in my head, thanking every and all gods above that I survived. I didn't think I could make it but with the support of Hermione, I made it through. Ron and I weren't speaking at the time but it hardly matters, does it? We became brothers again and I thank Merlin that I have him back." He looked at the two most important people in his life. They smiled at him. He went on. "I thought no one would still be up late that night when Ced appeared. We got to talking once we got past the awkwardness. We talked about anything and everything but never about the tournament. That was always the condition of our relationship. When we're together, it's about us. The tournament, the world, everyone, doesn't exist except us. We were free whenever we got the chance to be together. We were just Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory. We weren't the Champions of Hogwarts. We were just two people in love, trying to live a normal life." He laughed. "Well, for me, anyway. I don't know if you know this but the life of Harry Potter is a living _hell._ I have to endure stares, derision, contempt, hate, one second and the next, everyone is practically worshipping at my feet just for the fact alone that I am alive and will save the world." Everyone, including Professor Snape, winced at the cold tone of voice that Harry was projecting. "Ced, apart from Hermione and Ron, was the only other person who see's the real Harry Potter. At the beginning, I accused him of only being with me because of my name. He set me straight that day. I listened to him yelling at me for about an hour telling me that the name doesn't matter; it is the person that does. He said he believed in me. That he knows how burdened I am with my destiny and fate and that he would always be there for me, always be right by me. That no one else mattered because to them, I will only be the Savior of the Wizarding World. I don't think I could fall more deeply in love than I did that day. Of course, this was before I found out that he thought I was only with him because of his "Hufflepuff Hottie" status." There were chuckles through the congregation of people. Harry smiled what seemed to be the first real smile he had since his lover died. "Sneaking around was part of the fun of our relationship but it was wearing thin. We weren't ready to tell anyone. Mostly because they will think that I was sleeping with him so he can help me. Besides, we didn't think Mr. Diggory would take it too well that his only son was gay. And I was afraid to tell Mrs. Weasley that the boy she thought of as her son was gay. Ron isn't exactly the most sensible guy in the world and I didn't want to risk our friendship again because I go for blokes." Harry fell silent, head bowed, not looking at anyone. "But we wanted to be free in public as we are in private. We wanted everyone to see the love of Harry and Cedric. We wanted people to witness the true love that comes in a person's life once in a lifetime. We wanted to be loved by those we trusted, despite of who and what we are. We just wanted to be free," Harry finished in a whisper. Tears that had been held at bay streamed down his face. He looked at the crowd through his tears. "Ironically enough today was supposed to be the day we were to come out."

He stood up and for a moment, leaned on the podium for balance. After a while, he reached into his back pocket and took out a picture, magically shrunk and crease-free. He muttered a spell and the picture became larger so that everyone could see. He transformed the podium into a stand and looking at the picture for the last time, he set it on the stand. Everyone expressed their surprise differently. Mrs. Diggory cried softly but was still gazing upon the picture with her husband. It was of Harry and Cedric. The latter was leaning against the oak tree by the lake while Harry sat in between his legs. Harry was leaning on Cedric's chest and were both gazing out at something beyond the lake. Cedric had his arms wrapped around the younger boy, his chin resting upon his shoulder. Harry was holding on to the arms of his lover's as if by letting go, he would also let Cedric go. The intimate position of which they were sat in was unmistakable but what was more telling was the look on their faces. There was love and peace. There was hope and faith and determination and everything in between. The love that was portrayed by them was incredibly strong that just by looking at the picture, you could almost feel the love radiating from them. The picture was taken by Colin Creevey, who had stumbled upon them, and "couldn't resist capturing the moment." Cedric and Harry had asked him for the picture and his silence.

Harry stroked the face of Cedric Diggory and turned to the audience, tears running relentlessly down his face.

"I loved him. I will always love him. No matter what happens to me in the future; should I survive and have another life, I will never forget him. He took my heart and that is something you can never get back. He will always live in my heart. He will always be in my thoughts, my prayers. I will never lose sight of what he had taught me," Harry was sobbing now, as he had when he came brought back Cedric's body. Hermione stood up and made her way to Harry. She took Harry into her arms and rocked him like a child. Ron, after a moment's hesitation, took them both into his embrace. The Great Hall fell silent once again and was made witness to the break down of the great Harry Potter and his friends.

Harry broke away from his friends but stayed in Hermione's welcoming embrace. He looked at the students, staff, and his and Cedric's family, and said, "I do not care what you think of me now, I never have but I hope you won't hate Cedric. We just fell in love unknowingly but willingly. Remember him as he was, please."

Then he walked down the aisle, flanked by Hermione and Ron, and exit as they had entered. Dumbledore, who had sat in shock since Harry started, stood up and clapped. As one, the Hall stood and applause the courage of the one they thought they knew and the one they had never known intimately.

For years to come, every generation had known of the infamous and beautiful love of Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory. No one can ever forget of the two boys who fell in love at the wrong time. Or maybe, Hermione Weasley always thinks, their love was discovered at the right time.


End file.
